


Honor is Just Another Word for Redemption

by onewomanshow



Series: Nothing's Sweeter than Redemption [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Azula (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Azula (Avatar) is A Good Sibling, Azula (Avatar)-centric, Caretaking, Childhood Trauma, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Daddy Issues, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Katara and Zuko (Avatar) are Parents, Married Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Mommy Issues, One-sided Aang/Katara (Avatar), Past Aang/Katara (Avatar), Past Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnant Katara (Avatar), Protective Azula (Avatar), Redemption, Violent Thoughts, parents to be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29160303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewomanshow/pseuds/onewomanshow
Summary: Azula was always taught that there were just certain people you didn't respect. Born wealthy, privileged, and royalty, she looked down on anyone she didn't deem worthy enough of hers. She was taught that revenge was a necessary consequence to be inflicted on those who wronged her. Azula also thought she was irredeemable. She was a monster and her own mother even thought so.But maybe, she was looking at all this the wrong way.Or: In which, Azula is tasked with watching over a pregnant, sick Katara and comes to the realization that her purpose in life is not what she thought it was (see also: Azula is very protective of her sister-in-law).
Relationships: Azula & Katara (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Nothing's Sweeter than Redemption [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2193330
Comments: 25
Kudos: 171





	Honor is Just Another Word for Redemption

**Author's Note:**

> Been feeling kinda blah lately and this just poured out of me? Idk.

**rev·er·ence** : deep respect for someone or something.

 **re·venge** : the action of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands.

 **re·demp·tion** : the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.

“Thanks Azula.” Katara managed to croak out as her sister-in-law heated up her tea that had gone too cold for her liking.

She was three months pregnant and had all of the first trimester symptoms to show for it – the worst being morning sickness that had her running to the bathroom and left her feeling queasy and nauseous throughout the day.

Azula grimaced. She could stomach a lot of things, knowingly threatening people with murder and violence when she was younger, but watching the strong, bull-headed master waterbender that took her down while she was supercharged by a comet lose the little bit of food she did eat, was not one of those things.

She’d never seen her so sick and weak, practically a shell of her regular self, and she wondered how her brother, of all people, managed to woo her to the point that she was willing to put her body through this because of and for him.

“You’re welcome. I know you’re tired of my brother hovering.”

Katara smiled softly and took slow sips.

“Yeah, you’re the only person that’s not babying me or treating me like I’m about to break at any moment. I still have five and a half months to go and I am a master healer myself, everyone needs to relax. Have women not been pregnant in the Fire Nation before?”

“Well, in our defense, there’s never been a pregnant Waterbender in the Fire Nation and…you have been sicker than what we’re used to.” She offered apologetically. A few weeks ago, Katara fainted from dehydration. Unable to keep anything else down, she was placed on a strict diet of broths, soups, smoothies, and other liquids.

“That’s because I’m almost positive this little one is going to be a firebender and it _is_ very hot here so I’m extremely uncomfortable. But other than that, I feel about as fine as one can expect. This too shall pass, as your Uncle would say.”

Azula smiled. As she got closer to Katara, she realized that was one of the things they had in common and it was something she admired in her because it helped her realize that she could be confident and independent without being intimidating and scary.

Katara was demanding and powerful but people respected, not feared, her for it. She associated those traits with negativity for so long – traits she inherited from her father and grandfather, that she didn’t know they could be good things.

Katara showed her that and Katara also shown her kindness when she gave her every reason to hate her.

After all, it’s Katara who visited her first in the mental institution. Zuko wasn’t ready yet and she understood that. She tormented him for years – he deserved to be apprehensive of her and as angry as she was about it, she knew it was justified.

_“You have a visitor, Princess Azula.”_

_Azula flicked her head up at the sound of the guard’s voice. A visitor. That was different. Besides the various nurses that came in to check her vials and administer her meals, and the guards that were always on duty to make sure she didn’t hurt herself (or anyone else, for that matter); she didn’t get visitors._

_She was sure that her brother was going to let her rot in here._

_A tiny part of her wouldn’t blame him if she did. She was a monster. She did evil things. And she deserved whatever punishment she got._

_But the broken child, the scared, manipulated little girl in her – the part of her that was coming to fruition more and more each day as she sat alone with her thoughts, wanted his forgiveness. She wanted, more than anything, the love of a big brother. She wanted to tell him that she was sorry – and that she hopes he gives her another chance, even if it was only out of pity._

_And it honestly scared her, a feeling she never felt, that the damage she’s done left their relationship, **her** , irredeemable._

_“Azula.”_

_She knew that voice – that girlish, feminine voice. As the shadow in the doorway stepped forward and became a recognizable figure, piercing, wide, blue eyes stared back at her._

_Azula’s lips quirked up into a snarl. “And what did I do to deserve the presence of a peasant?” She spit bitterly. Katara said nothing, only stepping closer._

_“You know, Zuko would’ve died if it weren’t for you. I was so close to victory. And you ruined it.”_

_She remained unphased, a blank expression on her face that even she couldn’t read. Was she not scared of her? That’s…new. Everyone was scared of her. What made her so special and different that she wasn’t backing down?_

_“Well, I guess you’re happy now. Everyone thinks I’m crazy. They think I’m some psychotic monster. My mother thought I was one too. I tried to prove them all wrong, but they’re right.”_

_“No.” Katara’s voice is commanding, not the motherly tone she overheard her use with Aang- even in the midst of battle, she couldn’t help but parent the kid and she almost felt bad for him, too infatuated with the first girl he’s seen in a century to realize that she doesn’t like him in that way, or the friendly one she used with her brother. This one was different and she really wanted to know what the hell was her problem._

_“No, what? Peasant.”_

_Azula can practically see the tension in her body and smiles to herself. So, she was getting to her. Good. That’s what she wanted. She had always been good at antagonizing people. It was a skill her father talked fondly about and because he was proud, she felt valuable. Katara not being phased by her tactics meant her carefully calculated control was slipping – and she didn’t like that._

_If she couldn’t do the one thing her father groomed her to do, then what was she worth anymore? She was not Zuko, he couldn’t control his emotions, always thinking with his heart – she was the prodigal daughter, his pride and joy, she could not be treated the same way he was._

_“You’re not crazy and you’re not a monster. You’re a child. Just like me. Just like all of us.”_

_Azula's eyes narrow into slits. What was she getting at?_

_“And you were used and abused by a man who wanted to turn you into his own personal weapon.”_

_She growled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!” The nerve and absolute gall of her, making assumptions when she knew nothing about her._

_“Just because you’ve gotten brownie points from my brother, that doesn’t mean you have any idea what’s going on. You only know what he’s told you and you have no right…to say that. Our father loves me. He loves me!” She shrieked, steely resolve breaking._

_Katara’s face softened and the healer in her cried out the same way it did when she was thrashing around chained up amid a mental breakdown._

_But she knew her healing abilities didn’t work for psychological ailments, as much as she wanted them to. It could soothe a headache and make the throbbing go away but it couldn’t undo the layers of childhood trauma._

_If it could - she would have used it on herself by now, on all of them, because none of them deserved this baggage to carry._

_They were the same age, 14, and just starting to develop traces of forthcoming womanhood. Just a little over a year ago, her Gran-Gran was giving her ‘The Talk’, and although she wasn’t too familiar with Fire Nation culture, she figured Azula received a similar one, from…well, somebody, whether it was her tutors, or Mai – given that she was the oldest out of all of them._

_“That wasn’t love, Azula. And I know you don’t believe it or me, but it’s Zuko who loves you. And he wants you to be okay.”_

_Azula scoffed. “He hasn’t even come to see me yet.”_

_“Give him some time. He will.” Then, Katara kneeled down and placed a small package on the floor, pushing it toward her._

_“What’s this?”_

_“Open it and see. I thought it might make you feel better.”_

_Before she has a chance to respond, Katara is gone, the door shutting behind her with a loud click._

_She leans down and is hit with the aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Hands shaking, she snatches it off the ground and rips open the paper._

_There, still warm, were individually wrapped sticky sweet buns. One of her favorites._

_How did she know?_

“How did you know?”

Katara looks up from where she’s washing her face.

“Know what?”

“That I like sticky, sweet buns.”

She smiles at her, drying her hands on the cloth and knowing what she was referring to. “Zuko mentioned that you two used to sneak into the kitchen and eat so many, you made yourselves sick.”

Azula didn’t have thoughts of voluntary harming someone anymore, it was a dark side of her that she kept a tight lid on, but if anyone even _tried_ to hurt Katara – there had been a surge in rumors regarding assassination attempts since it was announced that she was expecting, after all, even though her brother was well-liked, he still had a lot of enemies that would do anything to end his reign, which was one of the reasons why he was in such an overbearing, protective mood and specifically asked her to tend to her when he couldn’t be around her himself – she would kill them without hesitation.

Revenge wasn't sweet, but redemption was, and honor...she liked to think that was just another word for it.

 **hon·or** : high respect; great esteem.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like Azula and Zuko parallel each other more than what the canon narrative (the comics) would like us to believe - they both wanted the same thing but had different approaches to obtaining it.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Rules](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29349579) by [onewomanshow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewomanshow/pseuds/onewomanshow)




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